CLEVELAND (AP) — Collin Sexton scored 26 points and Jarrett Allen had a season-high 23 points and 18 rebounds, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 100-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and a split of their home-and-home series on Monday night.
Darius Garland had 19 points and 11 assists for the Cavaliers, who had lost four of their last five games, including a 109-104 decision at Minnesota the previous evening.
Allen blocked five shots and made 9 of 14 free throws in his initial start since being acquired from Brooklyn as part of the James Harden mega-trade on Jan. 14.
D’Angelo Russell scored 18 points and No. 1 overall draft pick Anthony Edwards had 13 points in his third start for the Timberwolves. Minnesota dropped its eighth straight on the road and is 2-8 overall since Jan. 13.
“We’ve got to be better,” Edwards said. “They were playing tough defense, but we’ve just got to be better. That’s it.”
Cleveland held a 98-91 lead with 19 seconds remaining, but the Timberwolves pulled within two after Russell buried a 3-pointer and Malik Beasley scored in the lane.
Taurean Prince made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to extend the Cavaliers’ advantage to 100-96, making Naz Reid’s layup just before the buzzer irrelevant.
Minnesota started the fourth with an 11-1 run, taking its first lead since the first quarter at 78-77 on a putback by Jaylen Nowell. Cleveland answered with six straight points and did not trail again.
Edwards is averaging 17.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 30.0 minutes since being moved into the starting lineup on Jan. 29.
“There are changes in the way teams guard me, but it’s still basketball,” Edwards said. “It really doesn’t make any difference to me.”
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